


The Most Dangerous City

by calikocat



Series: Dragon Verse [34]
Category: Big Wolf on Campus, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Sentinel (TV)
Genre: Big Wolf on Campus AU, Dragons, Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-05-08
Packaged: 2020-01-15 08:50:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,875
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18495523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calikocat/pseuds/calikocat
Summary: Finally he responded to her inquiry.  “We've been through a lot.  You with your birth parents and me with Drug Runners and crazy militia terrorists.”





	1. Chapter 1

The Most Dangerous City  
calikocat

Word count: 2038

Disclaimer: I don't own Almost Human, Big Wolf on Campus, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, or The Sentinel.

A/N: Obviously everything is AU for Almost Human since most of the characters from there that appear in this series are cyborgs. Also AU for Big Wolf since Tommy and Merton are both Dragons here and Tommy's not a werewolf. This starts pretty much after the events of Silver Lining. Merton changed for Blair Sandburg, Tommy changed for Jim Ellison, and Simon Banks changed for David Hodges.

A/N 2: After The Sentinel ended in 1999 several groups of fans/fic writers made their own virtual seasons depicting the continuing adventures of Jim, Blair and the Detectives of Cascade's Major Crimes team. For this verse I'm considering the Cascade Virtual Tales by Black Panther Productions to be canon through their 5th and 6th seasons. For Dragon Verse Jim and Blair's relationship takes a romantic turn as of season 6 episode 7, Sins of the Father, Sins of the Son. You can find these Virtual seasons here: bpp.skeeter63.org

A/N 3: All this happened because I realized I needed to write a little in between fic to show the Cascade Community getting settled. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to go forward with another story I'm working on, Adventures in Santa Barbara, specifically chapter 2. Enjoy.

 

Las Vegas

XXX

Daryl and Brenna made their way to Las Vegas after making sure Stiles was back with his dad safe and sound in Beacon Hills. John even fed them and made sure they were full of coffee for the trip. They drove back to Redding, the caffeine and occasional conversation keeping each other awake on the drive to the airport. Once they got on a plane to Vegas they'd be able to sleep for a while.

Brenna was driving at the moment, since Daryl had driven most of the way to Beacon Hills. She glanced at him, concerned at the lull in conversation, as Daryl looked out the window into the night. Seemingly lost in thought he was still, in fact, very aware of her attention.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

He turned to look at the teenager who was practically his sister. Daryl hadn't spent much time in Vegas, nor had she in Cascade. Usually when they tagged along with their dads for a get-together it was in L.A., more specifically, Malibu. For four years they'd been spending holidays together and acting like family. Now it was permanent, their dads were bonded tighter than marriage vows could ever hope to make them. Even if they couldn't get married.

Some of the things that had come up over the years as they got to know each other were the different life experiences they'd had. Brenna had lived with her and David's birth parents until she was 13 when her father had killed her mother when she'd tried to runaway and keep Brenna out of her line of work. Prostitution. So Brenna had seen some of the worst parts of humanity...and Daryl felt comfortable talking to her about his own...traumas.

Finally he responded to her inquiry. “We've been through a lot. You with your birth parents and me with Drug Runners and crazy militia terrorists.”

In the dashboard lights he watched the corner of her mouth quirk up in amusement. “Yeah, not everyone can be held hostage by the same terrorists twice in one lifetime.” 

“But... that little girl Cassie. Her family was really killed over some pot?”

She nodded, smile gone. “Crazy as it sounds, yeah.”

Daryl shook his head. “And I thought Cascade was dangerous. I guess Vegas is just as bad.”

“Oh that didn't happen in Vegas. Cassie's family lived in a small town in Lincoln County. The sheriff's department there wasn't equipped for that kind of overkill or bloodbath and called in outside help.”

“Damn.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Las Vegas, Halloween – 2005  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Halloween was a subdued affair, even though it was the last one David was going to be spending with the Las Vegas Community. Jim and Jessica weren't in attendance, choosing to stay home and hand out candy. Warrick and Grissom were working and Catherine was taking Lindsey trick-or-treating.

That left David, Brenna, Simon, and Daryl to spend the evening with Greg, Nick, and Cassie. It had barely been more than a week since the ten year old girl had lost her family, and she wasn't exactly up to celebrating. Not to mention her throat was still recovering from the injury she'd received when it had been sliced and she'd been left for dead.

Her house in Lincoln County was too full of memories, including the violent murders of her family. So once she'd been released from the hospital Nick and Greg had brought her straight to Vegas. Peace and quiet was what she needed, so they were staying in.

David peeked into the living room now and then as he worked on dinner. Cassie was on the couch, tucked between her foster parents watching an old animated film. She was quiet and focused on The Halloween Tree, her head resting on Nick's shoulder. The Vegas Beta pair were just as quiet; though Greg's arm was on the back of the couch, his hand resting on the back of Nick's neck.

That left Daryl and Brenna on candy duty. The porch light was on, and the main door left open so brother and sister could see the kids coming through the glass storm door. They'd painted their faces with whiskers and were dressed all in black, and Brenna had found a couple of bells. It was minimal as far as costumes went, even with the cat ear headbands Simon had found at the local pharmacy when he'd been sent on a candy run.

David opened the oven and checked on the lasagna again, the top wasn't quite golden brown but it was getting close. He closed the oven and leaned back into the warmth of Simon as his Dragon came up behind him. The taller man was in the kitchen under the guise of helping him with dinner...though he was more of a hindrance. He didn't mind though.

“Smells good,” Simon commented.

David smirked. “My cooking always does.”

“You sure you're ready to leave all this?”

“Simon I was already planning to leave Vegas. Our bonding just put a rush on things.” He looked up and over his shoulder. “Are you trying to change my mind?”

Strong arms hugged him tight. “No, but Cascade isn't the safest city in the country.”

“And Vegas is paradise?” David scoffed. “No city is safe.”

“We have snow in the winter. That's not something you're used to.”

“I think you can keep me warm enough.”

Simon chuckled and David relished the feel of him. “I can definitely do that.”

Brenna stuck her head into the kitchen. “Catherine and Lindsey are here.”

“Cat timed that pretty well. She said they would try and join us for dinner.”

She went back into the foyer just in time to join Daryl at the door and they listened to following conversation. “Hey Catherine, I love your costume Lindsey.”

“You too, I love your ears.” Lindsey laughed. “Both of you.”

“Hey Brenna, didn't know the boys had a full house.” Catherine greeted her. “Are we interrupting?”

“Nah, Dad and Simon are working on dinner. This is Daryl, my older brother. It’s even official now.”

“I'd heard Hodges had put in for his two weeks’ notice. Kinda sudden isn't it?”

“Not when it’s for your soulmate,” David called out to her.

Catherine came into the kitchen, Lindsey on her heels wearing a ballerina costume. “Soulmate huh?” She looked Simon up and down. “Nice.”

David rolled his eyes. “Lasagna's almost ready. Still eating with us?”

She smirked and took a seat at the table. “Since this could be my last chance to eat your cooking I'm not leaving till I get a plate.”

xxx

Catherine and Lindsey had left first, the girls making vague plans to go trick-or-treating together next year. Lindsey had at first been adamant that this was going to be her last year since she'd be starting high school in a year. However when Brenna offered to take them both Lindsey had agreed that could be cool. And then Cassie wouldn't have to depend on Nick and Greg for costume advice. That had gotten the smallest smile out of the youngest girl which was what Brenna and Lindsey had been trying for.

Much later that night David and Brenna headed home, taking their house guests with them. They'd tiptoed out the door, as Cassie had fallen asleep, leaving the leftovers in the fridge for their hosts. Simon was quiet on the drive back to the Hodges' home; he'd rarely had the chance to see David and Brenna interact with their friends and Community. It hit home that they were being forced to make a big change. 

Simon had been taking time off from work, he had plenty of vacation time saved up, and so he could stay in Vegas for at least another week. At this rate, though, he'd probably have to work through Thanksgiving to make up for it. The plan was to stick with David until his last day at the lab. Already the house was partially packed up; full and labeled boxes were stacked in the garage, one side for Brenna, the other for David.

He felt bad, like he was uprooting his lover, despite the protests. David had a life here in Las Vegas and here he was moving him not only to another city, but another state. Brenna's life wasn't getting quite the same upheaval; she was staying in Vegas and even in the same school district. Her biggest change was moving into Jim and Jessica Brass' guestroom.

“You're thinking too hard.” David commented, as he pulled into the driveway. “Not sure I like the mental path you're on.”

Simon raised a brow at him as the interior light came on, the kids bailing out of the backseat to leave them on their own. “What?”

“You're not forcing me into anything you know. I want to be with you. Moving to Cascade isn't going to be a hardship.”

“If you say so.”

David nodded. “I say so.”

 

By the time they made it inside, the car locked up tight, Daryl was half asleep on the couch and Brenna was curled up in her bed. Kobayashi Maru, or as David affectionately called him, Mr. K, was curled up on the foot of the bed in the master bedroom. Simon ran his hand over the cat's long fur, wondering how a house cat could get that damn big...and how he was going to adjust to having a cat around. Mr. K barely opened his eyes, somewhat acknowledging his presence and purring a bit, before snuggling deeper into the comforter.

Making room for the cat wasn't going to be the only challenge Simon was willing to accept. He'd noticed over the last few years that David's sense of smell was heightened, so much so that the other man was a bit of a clean freak. Not to mention he had the genetic quirk that allowed him to identify cyanide gas. That was something the lab in Cascade could use...and something that would no doubt make Sandburg want to run a few tests and compare David's sense of smell to Jim's. 

For a second he wondered how his best detective team was handling their life upheavals.

“Now what are you thinking about?”

“Change,” Simon replied; he looked up at David from the bed. His lover had kicked off his shoes and was partly undressed, shirt gone and slacks unbuttoned. Simon's hand twitched wanting to trace over the scars there in reverence.

“Simon?”

“Hmm?”

“What sort of change were you thinking about?”

He cast about for something besides the big move coming up, knowing David would find the same old protests a mute point. A thought popped up and he latched on to it. “I'm glad Daryl came with Brenna, meeting Cassie was a turning point for him.”

David smiled sadly. “You really didn't want him to be a cop did you?”

“No. A lot of the time it’s a pretty thankless job. Every year when Joan and I split his tuition I was more than happy to fork over the money.”

“Because the longer he stayed in school, the less likely he'd choose to be cop?”

“Something like that...I was starting to worry I was just stalling. He seemed so determined to join the Academy, until now.”

“And you think being a social worker is going to be safer that being a cop?” David asked.

“Some days it will be.” Simon shrugged. “Maybe if Daryl wasn't unchanged I'd feel differently, but I'm happy with his change of heart.”

“He's been good with Brenna.” David agreed. “And with Cassie. I think the traumas he's had to deal with gives him a certain perspective that he'll need for that kind of work. The system needs good social workers.”

“As opposed to tired and overworked ones?” Simon asked.

“Trust me Simon; a good social worker can make all the difference. It did for me.”

XXX


	2. Chapter 2

The Most Dangerous City  
calikocat

Word count: 4213

A/N: In Big Wolf canon Tommy, Merton and Lori are from a small town called Pleasantville. The location of said town is anyone's guess. For Dragon Verse there is no Pleasantville, instead they're from Cleveland, Ohio, the location of the other Hellmouth. So while they didn't experience the level of life or death situations that the Sunnydale crew did, they still had some interesting times. 

A/N 2: I'm not positive about the kind of hearse Merton had in the series...but I think during season 1 he had a 1970 Cadillac with white wall tires. Actually I think they used the same hearse throughout the show. 

A/N 3: I remember that Merton said Rasputin was a Burmese python...but I don't want him to be a Burmese as they get freakin' HUGE. So here he's a Ball Python. Much more manageable. Still Albino though.

Cleveland

XXX

It was a short plane ride from D.C. to Cleveland, a whole hour and twenty-five minutes, which was good for them really. It would be a month before either Tommy or Merton would be able to take dragon form again, longer if they didn't bond soon. The four of them may have accepted that their lives had changed forever, but D.C. wasn't the place for the next step. Merton and Tommy's hometown was a more logical choice. However the closer the plane got to Cleveland, the more uneasy Jim got.

Blair noticed that his Sentinel's tension became higher with each passing moment. The other man's body becoming so taught upon setting foot on the ground that the Guide thought something would snap. Merton seemed to sense Jim's distress as well, though how anyone could miss it Blair didn't know, and the Dragon Mage put a hand on Jim's arm. Almost instantly he relaxed, though he remained alert, vigilant.

“What was that?” He asked.

Merton offered them a smile. “You were probably feeling the energy of the Hellmouth...we have one here in Cleveland.” He held out his hand to Blair, who took it, and a second later he felt his body relax. Tension he hadn't been aware of leeched away from his body.

“Wow. Is it always like that?”

“Pretty much. Not everyone can feel it. Tommy never has.”

“I'm feeling it now.” Tommy grumbled. “I don't know how the Sunnydale Alpha can stand being on the stronger Hellmouth all the time.” He shuddered. “Come on, people are starting to stare.” He led the way toward baggage claim, moving them along.

Once they were in the parking garage where their only audience was vehicles of every type and color Merton glanced at Tommy. “So the change made you notice the Hellmouth?”

“Yeah, you've always been able to feel it?”

“Mmhmm. You'll get used to it, it’s never really bothered me.”

“How come?”

“Probably because we were born here, I bet it’s the same for Xander. He's been around it all his life so he doesn't notice it.”

“Would he notice it if he came to Cleveland?” Blair asked.

“Probably not, the Sunnydale Hellmouth is stronger than the baby one we have here.” Merton told them. “Here we are.” He stopped behind a hearse of all things, with white wall tires.

“You drive a hearse.” Jim stated, staring at the vehicle.

“Not just any hearse.” Merton pouted; a light blush on his cheeks. “She's a 1970 Cadillac.”

“Merton was something of an uber-Goth in high school.” Tommy grinned. “Don't knock the hearse, it’s come in handy. Plenty of cargo space.”

Blair nodded. “Oh yeah. I can see that.” He shot a smirk at the Dragons. “Bet it’s good for teenagers parked at lover's lane.”

“Well, we did use it for that a time or two.” Merton admitted, unlocking the backdoor. “But Tommy was referring to the times we had to dispose of a body...or a zombie...or some other monster.” He put his bag in the back. “And honestly guys, high school kids can't be picky when it comes to cars, not many people want to buy used hearses. It was all I could afford when I turned sixteen.”

“At least it’s a classic.” Jim admitted.

“Think your father would approve?” Blair asked.

“Only of the Cadillac part.”

The rest of them stowed their bags in the hearse and got in, Merton behind the wheel, Tommy riding shotgun, while Sentinel and Guide piled in the backseat. Once they were clear of the garage and on the street Tommy got his phone out and made a call.

“Hey Gil, yeah we just got back, not sure how long we're staying. Tell everyone it went well and that they're invited to pizza tomorrow night. See you then.” He put his phone away and looked at Merton. “You really ready for this?”

“We knew we might be leaving.” Merton said, shooting a look at the pair in the rearview mirror. “We weren't looking for what we found, but I'm not upset at what we did.”

“So how many of your friends know about Dragons?” Blair asked.

“Like all of them?” Tommy gave Merton a quick glance who nodded. “And not just Dragons...but all supernatural stuff.”

“Because of the Hellmouth?” Jim asked.

“It’s not under our high school the way it was for the Sunnydale crew, it’s actually underneath one of the malls.”

“Guess that makes the phrase 'retail hell' pretty literal'.” Blair laughed.

“You're not wrong.”

xxx

Merton parked the hearse in a driveway beside a blue jeep wrangler, hitting the button on the garage remote and then shutting off the engine. The electric door of the small one car garage opened slowly, giving the backseat occupants time to look around. The house Merton and Tommy were renting was tiny but well kept; the little garage looked like it had been added on as afterthought.

“I'm guessing the jeep is Tommy's.” Blair said.

“Graduation present from my parents. They were ready to upgrade, so they gave me the jeep. It goes where the hearse can't...when we don't need the cargo room anyway.” Tommy grinned over his shoulder before they all got out.

It only took a moment to get their luggage out of the hearse; Merton locked her up tight and then led them into the garage. Jim stopped to look at the bike on the left side of the space and whistled appreciatively. “This is Tommy's too?”

Merton rolled his eyes. “Yes, but as you can see we have two helmets so I can ride with him.”

“You like motorcycles Jim?” Tommy asked eagerly, excited that he and his soulmate had something in common.

“Yeah, I was really into them back in high school. I have a Harley that I bought brand new in 1980.” Jim looked closer at the bike. “1970 Kawasaki?”

“1973, you were close though.”

“It’s gonna be interesting juggling the vehicles around.” Blair told them. “I have a cobra at home; Jim has his Harley and two trucks.”

The dragons shared a look and Tommy shrugged. “We'll manage.”

Merton started to unlock one of the two inner doors, when Blair noticed the equipment on the other side of the garage. They were covered with opaque dust covers, so they weren't as flashy as the bike. Blair's eyes twinkled at the sight of the instruments.

“Looks like you have enough for an entire band.”

Jim stood back up and moved to Blair's side. “Which of you is the drummer?”

Tommy shook his head. “Neither of us, the drums belong to Lori. The guitars are mine and Merton's. The keyboard is Merton's. There's a weird piano in the living room too.”

Merton huffed. “It’s not weird, it’s a giraffe piano.”

“So are you guys in a band?” Blair asked.

“In high school.” Merton answered. “We still play at local clubs sometimes. The Hellmouth and the Dragons have been keeping us pretty busy. You play?”

“Drums,” Jim replied.

“Guitar,” Blair added. “Who did your vocals?”

“Merton.” Tommy was grinning again and Merton was blushing just a bit. He didn't say anything though, just hit the button for the garage door and led them inside through one of the smaller doors.

It opened directly into the living room and Blair saw the piano first just beside the door, its unusual shape eye-catching. However the large tank on the other side of the room was what held his attention as they spread out taking in the room. “Oh cool, we don't have any pets in the loft.”

Jim made noise, somewhere between a scoff and a snort. “Not since that Barbary Ape you studied trashed the place.”

Blair rolled his eyes. “What kind of snake is he, is it a he?” 

Tommy nodded. “We had to double check after high school; the guy Merton bought him from wasn't exactly on the up and up.”

“More likely he just didn't know the difference between a Burmese and a Ball Python, Rasputin is a Ball Python. He's as big as he's going to get.”

“Merton's thought about getting him a friend.”

“I'd love to find a Lavender Albino Lady for him. The guestroom is this way.” He showed them to the guest room. It held a modest unremarkable queen size bed, dresser and closet. “Make yourselves at home, and give us a while to unpack?”

Jim nodded. “Sure kid.”

xxx

It was probably the first time they'd never handed out candy on Halloween. Instead they had a quiet dinner, a casserole that Merton and Blair threw together, while Jim admired Tommy's old football trophies and memorabilia from high school. Something else the soulmates had in common.

They still hadn't really talked about it; somehow they kept getting in their own way. The night Tommy and Merton changed the four of them had crashed at the Hotchners while Aaron stayed with Haley at the hospital. Tommy and Merton had kept to the master bedroom, while Blair and Jim slept in the guestroom. Things had been better in the morning after Tommy had suggested they all live together. 

However things were still awkward, especially the night before when they had all shared a bed at a hotel, just for sleeping. There hadn't been any bonding yet, and as they ate the casserole concoction, some sort of baked cheesy pasta and beef thing, the awkwardness grew.

Jim was the first to try and break the silence at dinner. “What can we expect from your pizza party tomorrow night?”

“Yeah, can you break down how Cleveland works?” Blair asked.

“Yeah.” Tommy said. “We can do that...to start...there are two werewolf packs here. The La Croix Pack, lead by Alpha Augustus La Croix. His daughter, Tristan, is his second and will be the next Alpha when he passes.”

“The other is the Wilde Pack, lead by Marc Wilde.” Merton continued. “He has two sons. The older, Ambrose, is his second. The younger son, Gil, is human; and not in line to lead the pack. Both packs are good at policing themselves and they always have been.”

Tommy's face became grim. “Even when Hunters came after them. Gil's mom was human and Hunters killed her thinking she was a wolf. Augustus La Croix is also a lawyer and made sure the Hunters were put in prison. The packs have been allies ever since.”

“Holy crap.”

“We did have a brief scuffle with the La Croix pack in high school.” Merton added. “Tristan had a crush on Tommy and kidnapped him. She wanted her father to make him a werewolf.”

Tommy smirked a little. “Merton was already big with the magic and fire and nearly burned their house to the ground to get me back. Tristan got grounded and her dad made her volunteer for Community Service.”

“That's it?” Jim asked. “You didn't press charges? Or anything?”

“She was just a spoiled rich girl who had never been told no before. No one was actually hurt...and knowing there was someone powerful enough to rival both packs for control of Cleveland was the wakeup call she needed.” Tommy explained.

“Did the Wilde Pack interfere with the kidnapping?”

“No, they were just as surprised as La Croix that there were two unchanged Dragons in the area.” Merton said. “However the packs did come together when a rogue wolf, an omega, named Richard Dunleavy kidnapped Dove, Tristan's younger sister, and Gil to challenge Augustus and Marc.”

“We helped too...” Tommy told them. “We didn't kill him, but he was one of the bodies we had to hide.”

Blair's eyes were wide. “Wow.”

“Is that all?” Jim asked.

“The vampires in the area are pretty friendly.” Merton said. “They're not the demonic kind...and they drink animal blood or bagged human blood. They don't kill when they feed.”

“Really Damien, Reuben, Styx, Kristina, Cassandra, and Benny are pretty cool. Though Damien and Kristina have had this on again off again relationship for the past hundred years that drives the others kinda batty.”

“That's a bad pun Tommy.” Merton snickered. “But Reuben, Styx, and Cassandra really wish they would either stay together or date other people. Styx has shown an interest in Dove La Croix and Augustus has been pretty okay with the idea. Their kind of werewolf lives longer than humans.”

Tommy nodded. “Reuben's pretty chill but doesn't date. Benny helped Izzy get out of Purgatory when the guy accidentally opened a portal there during junior year.” When Blair and Jim just stared at him Tommy shrugged. “It was a whole big thing. Anyway you'll get to meet the wolves and vamps tomorrow night.”

xxx

Tommy and Merton cleaned up the kitchen after dinner while Jim and Blair showered together in the only bathroom. The dragons could hear exactly what their soulmates were getting up to in the shower, so to give them even more privacy they fled the house. Tommy to the garage; Merton to the old tree house in the backyard.

As they finished up, dry and clean Jim listened and pinpointed their locations. “Dress a little warmer Chief.”

“Why?”

“Merton's in the backyard.”

“I saw a tree house back there with a telescope on the balcony.”

“That's where he is.”

“You going to Tommy?”

“He's in the garage with his guitar.”

“Guess we better catch up to them before they rabbit completely.” Blair grinned and stood up on his toes to give Jim a kiss. “Have fun with Tommy.”

Jim nodded. “Don't let Merton get sidetracked. We don't know how much longer they can go without bonding.”

Blair gave him a salute and grabbed his jacket before leaving the guestroom in search of Merton. Jim listened to him go out the backdoor and hoped neither of the younger men got so rambunctious that they fell out of the tree house. Then he grabbed the small bottle of lube from his bag and tracked down his own dragon.

 

Tommy was indeed in the garage, guitar in his lap, sitting in an old plaid recliner that Jim hadn't noticed before. That might have been because of the dust cover; now wadded up beside it on the concrete floor. It was probably the ugliest chair he'd ever seen in his life and his face must have given something away because Tommy grinned and shrugged.

“We keep meaning to get rid of it. Guess we have a reason now.”

“I don't know; it might come in handy. How far back does it recline?”

Tommy swallowed; eyes a bit wide. “Pretty far back.”

Jim smiled and tossed Tommy the bottle; he caught it, and then nearly dropped it when Jim dropped his sweatpants. He hadn't seen much point in putting on a shirt, though he was kinda of regretting that. It was rather cool in the garage, except Tommy's gaze was heating him right up. Green eyes traveled up and down his body in appreciation and Jim was glad that middle age had been kind to him so far. “You okay Tommy?”

“Yeah.” He put the guitar to the side and pulled off his own shirt, revealing a light dusting of brown chest hair. “What about you?”

“I'm still getting used to the idea of a lover younger than Blair.”

“Is there that much of a difference between you two?”

“I'm eleven years older than him Tommy.” He stepped in front of the younger man, who leaned back in the chair, making room for him. It felt a little ridiculous but they managed to get situated, so he was in Tommy's lap, facing him.

“And between us?” Tommy asked looking up at him.

“Kid I've twenty-three years on you.”

Tommy smiled and reached for him, giving him a kiss, and Jim wondered if he could taste Blair on his lips. “Twenty-three years isn't so bad.”

“Oh no?”

“Nope.” He reached down to take Jim in hand and gave a gentle squeeze. “Think about how much older Mark Sloan is to Sara Sidle. Or Spike to Xander. We're nowhere near their league.”

“I suppose not.”

They wiggled a bit more, getting Tommy's jeans undone and pushed down. Jim had to admit he felt a lot younger than he was, pulling off such a ridiculous position in a chair that belonged in a frat house basement.

Tommy reached behind him, fingers trailing down Jim's cleft, pausing, surprised to find him already slick. “We heard you two messing around in the shower...wanted to give you some privacy though. You sure about this?”

Jim smirked. “Trying to stereo type me Dawkins? Blair and I have been together for five years, as a couple anyway. You think we haven't tried everything?”

“Sorry.”

“Don't be sorry. Just start moving. It’s cold in here.”

In response to that Tommy's body seemed to get hotter and eagerly they drizzled some lube on his dick. Then Jim wiggled, positioned himself above it, and slowly sat down, letting Tommy into him slowly. Tommy's temperature seemed to raise another degree, and Jim wondered if accidental fire during sex was going to be a possibility.

He settled against Tommy's hips, letting both of them get used to the different but familiar sensations. Tommy's hands glided up his sides to his arms, taking Jim's hands, their fingers interlocking just as their eyes met. The second blue met green the bond snapped into place, it startled Tommy so much that his hips jerked and Jim saw stars for a second.

When the pleasure faded it left them buzzing and eager for more, though the feedback loop allowing them to feel everything the other was...it was almost enough to cause a zone. Except Tommy's eyes grew wide, and his grip on Jim's hands tightened, enough to distract him and keep him from zoning.

“Tommy?” An image of the black jaguar filled his head and he turned to see it watching them.

“So you're not surprised by the huge black panther watching us?”

Jim laughed and lifted up, only to lower himself back down on Tommy's dick. “It’s a Sentinel thing. I'll tell you about spirit guides later. Focus.”

Tommy lifted his hips just right. “Oh I'm focused. Just didn't want to get attacked by some random spirit.”

“Don't worry, he's on our side.”

xxx

Blair managed to get up into the tree house without injury. The ladder was in good shape, though he supposed it had to be if Merton was out here often with that telescope. He climbed through the open trapdoor and closed it behind him once he was inside. Blair figured he didn't want to test his luck by leaving it open and possibly falling out of the structure. It’s not something Jim would let him forget.

Merton glanced over his shoulder at Blair with a smile. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself. What are you looking at?”

“Draco.”

Blair grinned. “The Dragon huh.” He settled beside Merton on the balcony and looked up at the sky. “It’s the wrong time of year to see Lupus from here.”

“The wolf.” Merton nodded. “Any particular reason you mentioned it?”

“The wolf is my spirit guide.” Blair said, and laughed at the look Merton gave him. “Seriously, I've seen it. Jim's is a black jaguar. It’s a Sentinel and Guide thing.”

“Doesn't sound like something Jim would believe in.” Merton commented.

“Only while he's in the jungle. Big guy has had some trouble letting the mystical work for him while he's in the city. We figure that's the reason why he's usually the one with the visions.”

“Visions?”

“He's the one that needs to see to believe.”

“But you do get them, as his guide?”

“And as his shaman.”

Both of Merton's brows rose in surprise. “Shaman? You?”

“You know about Jim's time in Peru back in the Eighties.” It was a statement not a question.

“Yeah, I did research on everyone who would be at the D.C. Summit.”

“There was a shaman among the tribe there who guided Jim. When Incacha came to Cascade, he was killed...and as he died he passed on the way of the shaman to me. It’s been a slow and complicated road, but I'm doing okay with it I think.” Blair smiled at him and bumped Merton's shoulder with his own. “I even found myself a Dragon Mage to help me with the mystical stuff.”

“You did at that.” Merton agreed, and then frowned when Blair shivered, even with the jacket he was wearing. “Come back inside where it’s warmer.” He got up and helped Blair to his feet, before leading him back inside the tree house, and closing the door behind them.

“I didn't even see the nest.” Blair commented with a grin. “You and Tommy sleep out here often?”

“And other things.” Merton led him to the nest, which was actually an air mattress and sleeping bags with a couple of pillows and blankets. They snuggled under the blankets and Blair was warm in no time at all, though he was sure it had more to do with the dragon next to him.

“We haven’t worked out any details...” Blair started. “But I wanted to make it clear that Jim and I are going to keep having sex.”

“We expected that. Tommy and I aren't going to stop either. However now that we're changed we are going to start using condoms with each other again. We're not ready for kids, and either of us can get pregnant now.”

Blair wanted to groan. “Oh man, I had totally forgotten about that.” Then he giggled.

“What?”

“I just imagined Simon pregnant.” He giggled again. “None of us will survive that; he'd have to give up coffee.” Blair let his laughter die down so he could ask a serious question. “So...we have to be careful huh. Until we're ready for kids. If you two...I know Jim has been worried about that.”

“He won't have to anymore.” Merton brushed a few curls away from Blair's face. “With the bond in place he'll stop aging. He'll have plenty of time to be a dad. It'll just depend on which of us is ready to get pregnant.”

Blair blinked and felt his eyes widen with surprise. “Which of you? So you'd be okay with Jim?”

Merton shrugged. “You're both pretty easy on the eyes, Blair. I wouldn't say no, just give us some time to get used to each other. Lust will help things along until love is in place.”

“I don't know man. Jim and I were pretty slow to get together. We've known each other since '96. I didn't join the force and become his official partner until '99...and we didn't start dating each other until a year after that. Four years of living together and being around each other all the time before we ever did anything.”

“Tommy and I aren't that patient.” Merton laughed. “Trust me; we'll keep things moving a bit faster than that.” With that he leaned in for a kiss and Blair was more than ready to get on with things.

There was wiggling around to get rid of the clothes they were wearing, but eventually there was nothing between them. The blankets were thrown to the side and one of the pillows was under Blair's hips as he turned over on his stomach. Merton added a bit more lube to his dick before sliding into Blair who was already prepared. Then his warmer than human normal body covered Blair's to keep him warm, inside and out.

Merton slowly moved his hips, kissing the back of Blair's neck and jaw since he couldn't reach the older man's mouth. He gasped in surprise and before Blair could ask what was wrong, he felt Merton's mind touch his as the bond came into being. Then saw through Merton's eyes, a familiar gray wolf.

“Looks like he approves.”

“Your spirit guide?”

“Yeah.”

Merton nuzzled into Blair's neck again. “He's beautiful, just like you.” Blair grinned, but didn't say anything; instead he lifted his hips and moved back into Merton. His dragon got the hint and moved faster, deeper, and Blair basked in the feel of him. He certainly hadn't been looking for Merton, but he was glad to have found him...and only hoped Jim was as satisfied with Tommy.

XXX


	3. Chapter 3

The Most Dangerous City  
calikocat

Word count: 1462

A/N: Little short chapter to wrap things up.

XXX

At some point during the night all four of them migrated to the master bedroom and crowded into Merton and Tommy's bed. Sentinel and Guide were on the left while their Dragons were on the right...with the shaman and mage in the middle. It was a tight squeeze on the standard queen size mattress and Jim knew that they were going to have to invest in something bigger. However...he felt settled. Their scents were mixing together. Merton and Tommy's heartbeats were already becoming familiar to him. He could even focus on them without zoning.

He fell asleep easily, listening to the comforting sounds of those heartbeats. The only thing that could be better was if they were already back in Cascade.

xxx

The next morning they had just settled around the kitchen table with some coffee when Jim looked up, head tilted and listening. “A car just parked in your drive.”

Merton and Tommy concentrated and listened as well, focusing on their newly enhanced senses. Blair rolled his eyes, the odd one out...however he couldn't wait to test how the Dragons' abilities stacked up and against Jim's.

“One person I think.” Tommy commented. “The car sounds familiar?” He looked at Merton who nodded.

“It’s Gil.”

“Human who was born into a werewolf pack,” Blair stated for confirmation. “How do you know?”

“I recognize his aura.” Merton grinned and got up to let their guest in, he opened the door and the smells of fresh baked pastries preceded the man into the house. “Morning Gil.”

“Morning,” The voice was chipper and friendly. “Congratulations again on finding your soulmate Merton.”

“Thanks. Coffee?”

“Please.” The front door closed and Merton came back into the kitchen followed by a man that was slightly taller than him. His auburn hair was cut short and his green eyes were as friendly as his voice had been.

“Jim, Blair, this is Gil.”

Gil gave a little wave. “Nice to meet you and welcome to Cleveland,” He put the box of pastries he'd brought on the table, “Thought I'd supply breakfast with this morning's apology.”

“What apology?” Jim asked, already drooling over the pastries.

“Well, you might not get to meet many of the humans today. Most of them are hung over. They always are after Halloween.”

“Not you though?” Blair asked.

“Humans with one or more werewolf parents have higher tolerance for alcohol...though I don't drink often. The humans let loose on Halloween because it’s generally a quiet night on the supernatural front.”

Merton handed Gil a cup of coffee and they sat at the table with the others. “It’s the same every year. All our human friends party on Halloween.”

Tommy grinned. “The wolves and vamps don't get drunk as easily...and a few of them look after the humans so they don't get into trouble while wasted.”

“Hey Gil,” Merton said, grabbing a pastry. “When everyone is sober and functioning they need to contact Tobias Fornell.”

“Who's that?” Gil asked.

“He's the newly appointed DSO Director. That would be the brand new Dragon Security Office.” Merton grinned. “He's going to need office staff and agents.”

“Sounds right up your alley man,” Tommy told him.

“It does. I'd make an excellent assistant.”

xxx

The wolves arrived first, being the most sober group of Merton and Tommy's friends and acquaintances. Already they'd heard from Gil about the opportunities available with the fledgling Dragon Security Office. Marc Wilde, Gil's father, even suggested that once the DSO was more established, that maybe the Cleveland Packs would offer an alliance with it and the Dragon Nation. Augustus agreed that it was indeed a possibility.

Tristan was teary eyed when she hugged Tommy and Merton. She was going to miss them both, but was happy for them. Dove giggled a bit and eyed Blair and Jim in appreciation, going so far as to give the dragons an approving thumb up.

Ambrose shook their hands, more reserved than the other younger wolves. The only downside he saw in so many leaving the Cleveland area was that both packs would have to look elsewhere for Emissaries.

At the odd looks that comment drew Merton had to explain that packs like La Croix, Wilde, and the Hale pack in Beacon Hills usually had an Emissary. A magical adviser. There was an entire coven in Cleveland that went to school with them...and since Gil's visit that morning he'd talked to the coven. All of them were interested in the DSO. 

Tommy wondered aloud how the packs were going to hold Cleveland with so many of them leaving. Dove had shrugged and answered; “If it makes you feel better Sloan Taylor and Jennifer Vesper are staying here. With the packs, the vampires, and those two Hunters I think Cleveland will be okay.”

Blair had blinked in surprise. “There are Hunters in Cleveland?”

“They're reformed. Totally Supernatural friendly.” Dove assured him. “They run a nifty outdoorsy store in town. Camping supplies and sporting goods. Perfect cover for a Hunter couple.”

xxx

The vampires showed up around sundown, but didn't stay long. Their presence made Jim pretty uncomfortable, unlike the one living vampire he'd met at the D.C. Summit. Spike was the only vampire that didn't make his skin crawl. Even if the Cleveland Vamps weren't actively hunting humans, he couldn't wait to get his Guide and Dragons away from them.

A human had come with them, Izzy, the kid who'd accidentally wound up in Purgatory. He made a smart ass comment about Cascade's reputation as the most dangerous city in America.

Merton brought up the Purgatory incident. “That kind of thing only happens on Hellmouths, Izzy. Cascade doesn't have one of those.”

“If you hadn't met Benny there you'd have been monster food.”

Izzy sighed but didn't argue. “Yeah...Cleveland is its own kinda dangerous.”

xxx

They bonded again that night, all of them in the crowded bed, a little more comfortable with each other than they had been. As they caught their breath afterward, Tommy brought up something they'd been holding back.

“Merton's been working on some cyborgs. Getting them back online.”

“Cyborgs?” Jim asked in disbelief.

“Come on Jim, Simon told us about the rescue mission that Malcolm Reynolds was part of. We met Mal and River in D.C. There were a couple of cyborgs that were rescued with River.”

“Right.”

“Well, John Kennex and Dorian Allyene were the only active cyborgs. There were others that were in storage. I've been working on them when I can.” Merton told them. “It’s slow going; the magic that was used on them to make them immortal and keep their free will intact is complex. I don't want to mess anything up.”

“You going to bring them to Cascade?” Jim asked.

“Yeah.”

“There is no way we'll all fit in the loft.” Blair commented.

“We've been thinking about that too.” Tommy assured them. “Money's not a problem; we'll find a place big enough for everyone.”

“One step at a time kids. For now let’s get some sleep.”

Blair laughed softly. “Guess we're wearing the old man out.”

“Bring it on Chief. I'll show you old.”

xxx

A week later David and Simon's plans to leave for Cascade were thrown off course due to a crazy shoot out and car chase in Las Vegas. David's replacement hadn't arrived yet and it was all hands on deck in the lab. 

The only casualties were among the bad guys, though one officer was injured with a bruised back from friendly fire that had hit his vest. The rookie had stood up in Sophia and Jim's line of fire...the only reason Jim had avoided killing the kid was because he was a Dragon. His reflexes and reaction time were better than a human's.

Because Simon couldn't leave without David, he called Cleveland and asked Jim to head back to Cascade a little early. Major Crimes back in Cascade was starting to get swamped and needed at least part of their best Detective team back on the job. 

Blair and Merton could follow later, which was just as well. The east coast had been busy since the D.C. Summit. Haley Hotchner had given birth to a son, Jack. Her husband had nearly changed for his soulmate and teammate, Doctor Spencer Reid. Horatio Caine had followed an escape convict to New York where he and Mac Taylor cornered the mad man before taking him into custody.

Needless to say, the Dragon Nation was going to be busy for a while.

XXX


End file.
